Trying to help my daughter. Just got deferred from Bowdoin. Legacy, top 10 percent of class, (independent school) sustained interest in a particular EC/lots of leadership, cs, etc. but truthfully applicants like her not super unique…GC thought she had a good shot of ED acceptance at Bowdoin based on other students. She is considering ED2 at Hamilton. Biggest hesitancy is the location. (more isolated than Bowdoin) she knows Brunswick from numerous visits growing up and I too really love the area and possibly the slight prestige/selectiveness difference (though not sure if valid) With that said, we have both really liked everything about Hamilton. seems like a wonderful community and just a generally happy, positive place to learn. GC thinks ED2 is safer choice rather than wait on RD for one or the other. Could those familial with both /either schools chime in? Are the schools “similar” enough that she should go with ED2 given highest chance of ending up at one of them?
A few years ago, I would have agreed on the prestige difference, but I think Hamilton has really, really closed the gap more recently. I hear it discussed in the same breath all the time now and it has gone from a match/Target school to a reach for everyone.
I have no firsthand insights on the Hamilton experience, but know people who have loved it.
Only you guys can make the final decision, though. Will she always wonder “what if?” if she doesn’t give Bowdoin another shot? Does she have a safety with which she will be happy if she rolls the dice with RD and neither works?
Thank you for your insights. Yes, she has a long list including safeties. I think Hamilton is her best shot at a school she really loves. (also applying Williams, Amherst Midd, Tufts but they seem like a harder admit) I think she might have checked off the “what if” notion by applying ED1 as she was considering Hamilton for ED1 as a “safer” bet. I think she knows the reality of getting in after a deferral is not great. Of course we have zero idea how many students were deferred at Bowdoin versus rejected.
Sorry to hear about the deferral.
I agree with ccname who said will she always wonder about Bowdoin if she doesn’t stay in the mix. She also does have the legacy hook at Bowdoin, and sounds like she would be unhooked at the other schools mentioned? So that is something to still consider…I expect Bowdoin also values that she applied ED, clearly expressing that was her first choice.
Highly rejective LACs are tough for all unhooked applicants, especially females (with a few exceptions) and especially in the RD round, with that said, of course some unhooked applicants do get accepted.
I also don’t think there’s a big difference between perceived prestige between Hamilton and Bowdoin. Agree Hamilton is more isolated.
Hamilton ED2 probably does have better odds than RD for an unhooked applicant, but the thing with ED2 is every year the pool is so different it’s impossible to predict what that will look like, and what type of students Hamiltion will want to cherry pick out of that pool.
The first obvious question: Do you have any financial constraints? Are you fine with being full pay at over $80,000 per year or have you run the NPCs and are you fine with the result?
Next obvious question: Are applications already in at safeties?
Third question: Has your daughter visited Hamilton College?
We are very familiar with Bowdoin. We are in Brunswick frequently and toured the college twice with one daughter. We like Brunswick a lot and it certainly seems to me to be quite different from the location for Hamilton College.
I think that you should care more about fit rather than prestige or ranking. I would be reluctant to ED2 anywhere unless you are confident that it is really the #1 remaining choice (after Bowdoin). I also would be reluctant to ED or ED2 anywhere unless you have visited it.
And yes, if your daughter applies ED2 elsewhere, and if she gets in, she might never know whether she might have gotten into Bowdoin, Williams, Amherst or Middlebury. All of these sound like high reaches for a “top 10%” student from our local highly competitive suburban high school (unless near the very top of the top 10%). Whether your daughter’s school is more selective and has better results with the highly rejective top universities and LACs I would not know.
I suppose one obvious question is how would your daughter feel if she got turned down by all of Hamilton, Bowdoin, Williams, Amherst, and Middlebury, and ended up at one of her safeties? Also, how would she feel if she got accepted ED2 at Hamilton, got accepted RD or EA at Williams or Bowdoin the same day, and had to turn down Williams or Bowdoin?
I think that if you look at the graduate students at the top ranked universities (at the Harvard, Stanford, … level), I think that you will find that they come from a very, very wide range of universities and LACs, including ones that are ranked quite a bit lower than anything that has been discussed on this thread.
I see how this is a tough call. However, I am not a big fan of ED2 (or even ED for that matter).
hi! I’m a current freshman at Hamilton, so I’d love to answer any questions about Hamilton and my experience so far if that would help with the decision!
Here’s a great resource for viewing ED vs RD acceptance rates. Jeff Levy and team make it available on their site each August–so helpful. The second spreadsheet includes merit money averages, percentage who receive it, etc. Resources — BigJ Educational Consulting
There is, IMO, no difference in prestige between the two and it shouldn’t be a factor anyway. Both are excellent.
What I read here was about your preference and it seems that you are intent on your child getting into the most prestigious college possible. Is SHE hesitant about the location? Does she prefer Hamilton to all others on her list?
Is the primary goal the highest chance of ending up at one of them? Or is the goal for her to get into Hamilton above all others?
I think people are overly concerned about location. Students at these selective LACs spend most of their time on campus and the difference in retention rate is negligible between these schools. If she is going to always wonder what might have been, she shouldn’t ED to Hamilton.
Thank you @DadTwoGirls
-won’t qualify for FA
-she has safeties. some apps done some not yet.
-she has visited Hamilton 3x
-My point we that our impression is that Bowdoin and Hamilton are both good fits, that was part of my question as to whether we are missing something in their differences.
-At this point yes she would be disappointed if she doesn’t get info Hamilton or Bowdoin or any of those listed. She also will apply to colby, bates and other not so reachy schools in addition to her safeties.
-If she gets into Hamilton ED2 she would have to withdraw all her apps so never she’d know about bowdoin, williams etc!
-Her school historically has gotten many students into Hamilton even those more towards the middle of the class but of course it’s in no way something to be counted on. It’s just a reasonable ED choice.
@Lindagaf Thank you. I agree with your point about location. Less of an issue than it sometimes appears on these visits.
No, I don’t think the goal is the most prestigious. She loves Hamilton and would be very happy there. Bowdoin was her first choice but Hamilton is a close second, along with many of the schools I mentioned! They all have something to offer and I think these schools are more similar than they are different. (possibly with exception of Tufts) She does not yet have a particular academic interest that would weigh in favor of one. I think her greatest chance of acceptance of all the schools I mentioned is at Hamilton so that’s why she’s focused on it.
My daughter’s friend, is in her second year at Hamilton and absolutely loves it. Best wishes to your daughter on her journey:)
I think that - at the margin - bowdoin may tend toward more conventional and preppy whereas hamilton may be a little funkier. And Bowdoin is somewhat more in the orbit of Boston while Hamilton is a bit more in the orbit of New York. But that is only at the margin. The vast majority of students at one would likely be quite happy at the other. Lots of athletes, lots of drinking, but of course plenty who are outside that. With 3 visits, you probably understand the vibe.
I tend to think she had her best shot at Bowdoin in ED, especially as a legacy, and not having been accepted, moving on is the best strategy. But heck, that is pure speculation on my part.
And then comes the question of whether you should ED elsewhere. And really, only you know that. There is likely a slight edge in doing ED2, in that if they want someone like your D, they may not have filled that bucket. If she feels like she would pick Hamilton if she were accepted at those other places (or wouldn’t wonder what if), she might want to do it. But if there is a bit of teeth-gnashing, it may not be the right call. Without knowing you, I’d say do it.
This might be the strongest argument for applying ED2 to Hamilton. Having visited three times is also very good prior to an ED application.
“It is affordable for us” is also key.
I think that you have talked me into it. Whether you and your daughter agree is of course much more important.
@Kef1975 Thank you-that’s great to hear!
@DadTwoGirls at least you made me laugh in this whole crazy process.
I think you’ve answered your own question. None of the reasons for not applying ED2 to Hamilton withstand close scrutiny given that it’s already a good fit and a close favorite.
to be clear if she got into Amherst, williams, middlebury and Hamilton RD she probably would not choose hamilton. But I am a realist. that’s not likely. Given her demographic, good grades and scores from a good school just aren’t enough and I think ultimately she would be as happy at Hamilton and get the same education as she would be at any of them while she might arguably notice a different culture at some of her safeties.
Since you are considering this decision on a strategic basis, you may be interested in the “selectivity ranks” of these schools (as well as others of potential interest) as they appeared U.S. News:
︎1. Pomona
︎2. Harvey Mudd
︎2. Haverford
︎4. Amherst
︎5. Hamilton
︎5. Swarthmore
︎5. Williams
︎8. Barnard
︎8. Bowdoin
︎10. Washington & Lee
︎11. Wellesley
︎12. Claremont McKenna
︎12. Smith
︎12. Vassar
︎15. Carleton
︎16. Colby
︎17. Colgate
︎17. Davidson
︎19. Claremont McKenna
︎19. Grinnell
︎19. Middlebury
︎19. Wesleyan
Note that these ranks are from the print edition of two years ago. The relationships of the schools may have changed since that time.
Thanks, interesitng-adding that my daughter’s high school seems to have a good relationship with Hamiton which goes into the thinking.
Not choose Hamilton compared to Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury? Then Hamilton is not a strong enough preference to warrant an ED2. Why not ED2 to Middlebury, since that is on the cards? Otherwise, go to RD and make the decision then.